Worker's Compensation

Overview

The Workers' Compensation Program is an insurance plan provided by the State of Florida which pays all reasonable and necessary medical care if an employee becomes injured or develops an occupational disease because of conditions on the job. The program also provides payment to the employee for part of the wages he or she might lose if the injury or illness disables the employee for more than seven days. The employee is covered from the first day on the job.

Employee Development administers Worker's Compensation for Florida Atlantic University. All questions and concerns about the Worker's Compensation program should be addressed to Employee Development.

Employees are covered by the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 while on Workers' Compensation.

Supervisor and Injured Employee's Responsibilities - In a medical emergency, transport the injured employee to the nearest medical facility or call 911 for emergency assistance. Following the arrangement of emergency medical treatment for the injured employee, supervisor must report it to AmeriSys at 1-800-455-2079.

If medical treatment is not required, the employee should only complete a First Report of Injury-Non Medical Treatment Involved Form and send it to the Department of Human Resources, Worker's Compensation Coordinator, Building 4 (directly across from Chick Fil-A) second floor. This form will be filed on the injured employee's Workers' Compensation File.

If injury requires non-emergency medical treatment, either the supervisor or injured employee must call AmeriSys at 1-800-455-2079 immediately and prior to obtaining medical treatment. AmeriSys will assist you or the injured employee in selecting an appropriate medical provider from within AmeriSys Workers' Compensation Services Provider Directory, and will arrange the appointment. AmeriSys will provide the Division of Risk Management and the Workers' Compensation Coordinator with a copy of the Notice of Injury form. The Workers' Compensation Coordinator at FAU will then send a copy to the supervisor together with a workers' comp information, also a Timekeeper's Information Card will be sent to the Timekeeping Administrator for his/her file, and an Injured Employee's Information Card to the injured employee.

Following the reporting of injury to AmeriSys at 1-800-455-2079, the injured employee will receive in the mail from AmeriSys a copy of the First Notice of Injury and a booklet that provides an overview of the various services AmeriSys provides.

If injury is approved by provider, any leave time taken immediately after the injury and up to forty hours will be paid by the university as Administrative Leave, Job Connected Disability (except OPS). The forty hours can be used consecutively or intermittently such as periodic visits to the doctor. The Administrative Leave, Job Connected Disability is processed by the Timekeeping Administrator for the department.

If the employee is certified by the attending physician as unable to return to work following the forty hours of paid administrative leave, the employee will begin to receive payments from the Division of Risk Management. The employee will receive 66 2/3 % of his/her average weekly wage. The employee may elect to use paid leave to supplement Workers' Compensation payments up to the employee's regular wages. The Department of Human Resources, Employee Development, sends this information to the employee, and the employee is responsible for completing the information regarding the number of hours of paid leave to be used each pay period. Employee Development will process the time input and adjustment for the employee until he/she returns to work.

When the employee has been released to return to work, but needs to obtain follow-up care, personal leave time must be used.

The Department of Human Resources will send a Benefit Supplement Letter to the employee requesting the type of leave to be used in sufficient amounts to cover benefit insurance and/or to bring his/her salary to 100%. By authorizing the use of leave to supplement Workers' Compensation, premiums can be deducted for insurance from the FAU paycheck. If the employee chooses not to use accrued leave time, a personal check will be necessary to continue insurance premiums. If the employee chooses not to use paid leave or a personal check to pay for the benefits premiums, then the insurance will be canceled. Upon return to work, the employee has 31 days to be reinstated.

Note: Benefit payments cannot be deducted from the check generated from Risk Management. This check is sent directly to the injured employee. This check will not be sent direct deposit.

You must seek treatment from an AmeriSys medical provider listed in the AmeriSys Provider Directory for your service area. Failure to obtain treatment from an AmeriSys participating provider will jeopardize the employee's workers' compensation benefits. Employee needs to then send a work status to the Human Resources Department, Worker's Compensation Coordinator, IS-4, Room 229, after every visit to the doctor. Also a copy of the work status must be given to the immediate supervisor. Without the work status form, the injured employee will be required to use his/her own leave to cover the time out.

All injured employees are entitled to Mileage Reimbursement. The Mileage Reimbursement form, provided by the Division of Risk Management, must be competed and returned to their offices to receive the reimbursement.

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